Obituary of Maria Saarela

SAARELA, Maria Irma - It is with sadness and joy her Son announces the passing of his mother Maria Saarela (Schnablegger) on Easter Sunday April 4th, 2010. After finally growing her angel wings over the last several years she went to Heaven to meet her husband Lauri and second son Johannes. She was fortunate to celebrate her 96th birthday with close friends and family at the Hospice 'ARCH' where she had a short stay after her time in the General Hospital and she passed away in Palliative Care at the Plummer Hospital. She lived in her 'home away from home' at Kotitalo, the Finnish Resthome for a number of years at the beginning with her husband and after his passing in her own apartment. There, she met many friends and her newly adopted family where I believe she brought them joy in her dignity, love of music and independent spirit. Mom as she told me had not an easy life but a full one. Born in Austria, March 24, 1914 the war brought many tribulations and raising a son on her own with the loss of her second son before his first birthday many challenges and sorrows. At an early teenage year she left a small village and moved to Vienna to teach embroidery and three years later moved to London England, where she worked for several years as a servant to a Lady in Waiting where in turn she had servants. She had met the now Queen Elizabeth as a child who ordered her 'open the door for the future queen of England.' When the war broke out she moved back to Austria as her family was there with her parents and ten siblings. In 1952 we moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Canada where she worked as housekeeper to the Swift family and met Lauri Saarela who was the brother of Margaret Swift. They married and later on, together built a cottage on Lake Superior at Batchawana Bay, ON now called Hummingbird Lane. There they spent many years, both into their late 80's, enjoying swimming, skiing, beautiful sunsets, friends and family for many years to come. Mom had many challenges as her husband became blind and hard of hearing as he aged. They both gave growing old a dignity of its own. She leaves behind her most cherished grandson Greg Saarela and partner Shaun, daughter-in-law, Margaret Saarela (Holt), and sister Anneliese Haring of Austria and sisters-in-law Lucy Schnablegger, Margaret Swift and brothers-in-law Jack Swift, and Dieter Kreps. Also numerous nieces and nephews both in Canada and Austria and Germany. Mom was fortunate with Dad to go to Europe three times to visit family and friends. At her request there will be no visitation nor funeral as cremation has already taken place. There will be a 'Celebration of Life Lived' at her family's home at 4188 Queen St. E. on Saturday, April 17th at 2 p.m. There she invites you to raise a glass of wine and share in some food and good spirits in her memory for a life lived to it's fullest. To all her friends who took the time to visit her and those who were involved in her care over the last number of years, I her Son Gunther, 'thank you' from the bottom of my heart. To Dr. M. Kuntz who kept her heart going and going like the energizer bunny. Donations can be made to the Ontario Finnish Resthome (Kotitalo), ARCH, Sault Area Hospital or the Sault Ste. Marie Humane Society as she was mother to many dogs I had over my lifetime. Arrangements entrusted to Northwood Funeral Home Cremation & Reception Centre (942 Great Northern Road 945-7758). www.northwoodfuneral.com